Founders of Kappa Kappa Psi
by Mike Raymond • February 2007 • 11 Comments •
Music, especially singing, has been associated with Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity from its earliest days as an organization.
Founding Alpha Pi Mu
Lambda Chi has many members involved in many other fraternal organizations. One of our brothers, William R. Wilson (Georgia Tech 1945), was a founding member of Alpha Pi Mu honorary for industrial engineering, which today has more than 70 chapters.
Founded at Georgia Institute of Technology, now Georgia Tech University, in January 5, 1949, Alpha Pi Mu confers recognition upon students of Industrial and Systems Engineering who have shown exceptional academic interest and abilities in their field.
The honorary fraternity also encourages the advancement and quality of industrial and systems engineering education and unifies the student body of the industrial engineering department in presenting its needs and ideals to the faculty.
Students of industrial and systems engineering who rank scholastically in the upper one-third of the senior industrial and systems engineering class and the upper one-fifth of the junior industrial and systems engineering class are considered for membership on the basis of leadership, ethics, sociability, character, and breadth of interest.
Graduate students and alumni may be elected to membership if they meet the requirements. Faculty members and professional industrial and systems engineers may be elected to faculty and honorary membership respectively have proven themselves outstanding professionals in the field.
Jack Mason (Pennsylvania 1913), John M. Conkey (Boston 1925), and E. Harmon Friel (Pennsylvania 1923) were early contributors to the 1929 edition of Songs of Lambda Chi Alpha.
In the past, our chapters routinely participated in campus songfests, Mother’s Day musicals, and serenades. Our Fraternity sponsored song writing contests and commissioned songs to celebrate special events. It was rare to find a chapter that did not have a strong tradition of singing prior to the 1970s.
Many of our older members still have vivid memories of participating in the serenade of a “pin mate” or fiancée of a fellow Lambda Chi. On most campuses, a serenade was an elaborate event with its own traditions and rituals.
Special songs, formal dresses, flowers, blue blazers and gray slacks, and lit fires contributed to a magical moment in time.
Songs like “I Love You Truly” and “The Sweetheart of Lambda Chi” were so popular that they remain Fraternity standards to this day.
Each General Assembly features a musical program where these and many other Lambda Chi classics are once again performed.
In addition to our tradition of singing, it is a little known fact that Lambda Chis played a major role in founding the premier band fraternity in America.
Kappa Kappa Psi Founding
Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity is a prominent student organization established on approximately 180 campuses throughout our nation.
The organization was created to promote high quality college and university band programs by providing leadership, recognition, and service opportunities to its members.
Kappa Kappa Psi was founded at Oklahoma A&M College, now Oklahoma State University, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on November 27, 1919. The fraternity has maintained its national headquarters in Stillwater, Oklahoma, to this day.
Legendary Band Director Bohumil Makovsky was the guiding spirit behind the founding of the group. Makovsky personally selected the 10 students who are recognized as the founders of Kappa Kappa Psi.
For many years, Makovsky was the moving force behind the growth and refinement of the fraternity. For his dedicated and tireless work, he was officially recognized as “The Guiding Spirit of Kappa Kappa Psi.”
Kappa Kappa Psi has many well-known alumni in it ranks including, bandmaster John Philip Sousa; composers Hoagy Carmichael and John Williams; musicians Count Basie, Ray Charles, Van Cliburn, John Denver, “Dizzy” Gillespie, Lionel Richie, and Lawrence Welk; and, former President Bill Clinton.
At least one prominent Lambda Chi was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi. As an undergraduate student at the University of Denver, Tozier Brown (Denver 1936) played first chair clarinet in the band. A past Grand High Alpha, Brown was recognized as a fine swing clarinetist by his fraternity brothers and friends.
The Boys in the Band
The stories of Kappa Kappa Psi and Lambda Chi Alpha fraternities intersect at our chapter in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The chapter was installed as the first national fraternity chapter at Oklahoma A&M College on September 15, 1917.
Brother Charles H. Stone (Chicago) was the local leader who organized a group called Chi Alpha with the express purpose of becoming a chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha. Stone, the college librarian at the time, was also instrumental in forming the Lambda Chi chapters at the University of Georgia and Vanderbilt University.
In less than two years after its founding, the chapter would supply five of Kappa Kappa Psi’s 10 founders. Three of the original founders of the Lambda Chi chapter were also founders of Kappa Kappa Psi:
Three KKP Founders
William Houston Coppedge (Oklahoma State 1920) grew up in Grove, Oklahoma, played in the college band, belonged to many clubs and organizations, and was notable for being the principal designer of the Kappa Kappa Psi membership badge. Later in life he would become a respected member of the Auburn University faculty.
Andrew F. Martin (Oklahoma State 1920) also grew up in Grove, Oklahoma. Martin, known as “Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi,” was an influential student who held many important campus offices as an undergraduate. After graduation, he spent time as the warden of a reform school located in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. Martin was the first grand president (1919-1922) and third executive secretary of the fraternity. He was the executive secretary of Kappa Kappa Psi from 1939 until 1964.
Dick Hurst (Oklahoma State 1922) was born in Oklahoma City. Hurst played in the college band for four years and served as its drum major for two of those years. He was grand secretary of Kappa Kappa Psi for one term.
Additional KKP Members
Two other early members of the Oklahoma Lambda Chi chapter are also credited as founders of Kappa Kappa Psi:
Clayton E. Soule (Oklahoma State 1921) was born in Nowata, Oklahoma. Soule played the tuba in the band and was an active member of the Engineering Society. Eventually, he became the chief electrician for the Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company.
Iron Hawthorne Nelson (Oklahoma State 1921) was the fifth and final Lambda Chi to found Kappa Kappa Psi. Born in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Nelson was also a member of Chi Sigma Chemistry Fraternity. Nelson’s brother, Ivo Amazon Nelson (Oklahoma State 1925), was also a member of our Fraternity. Iron Hawthorne Nelson would later become a successful physician in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
It is interesting to note that all of these men were members of the Oklahoma State Lambda Chi chapter at the same time Chester Gould (Oklahoma State 1921), famous creator of the Dick Tracy comic strip, was also a member.
And The Band Plays On
The next time you see a college football halftime show or attend a band concert, keep in mind that Lambda Chi Alpha played a significant role in the creation of their honorary band fraternity.
Kappa Kappa Psi and Lambda Chi Alpha will be forever connected through the work of five young band members of Oklahoma A&M College, now Oklahoma State University, in 1919.
Photo Credits in Order of Appearance
- © Courtesy zyphichore. Some Rights Reserved.
- © Courtesy Lambda Chi Alpha. Some Rights Reserved.
- © Copyright Kappa Kappa Psi. All Rights Reserved.
- © Copyright Kappa Kappa Psi. All Rights Reserved.
- © Copyright Kappa Kappa Psi. All Rights Reserved.
- © Copyright Kappa Kappa Psi. All Rights Reserved.
- © Copyright Kappa Kappa Psi. All Rights Reserved.
- © Copyright Kappa Kappa Psi. All Rights Reserved.
Mark Monteith Says:
February 2nd, 2007 at 12:27 pmI found this article very interesting. I am a former brother of the Eta Nu Chaper of KKPsi at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, OK. I was active for two years before I branched out and helped found the Pi Sigma Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha. I have always thought that there were similarities between the two and now I know why.
Mark Monteith
High Alpha
Pi Sigma 011
Robert Groves Says:
February 2nd, 2007 at 12:32 pmThat is very interesting. I am an alumni of Lambda Chi, Zeta Phi Zeta, from the Un. of Tennessee at Chattanooga. I am also an alumni of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity at the same school. Phi Mu Alpha is another national music fraternity with a lot of the same ideals. None of their founders were Lambda Chi’s, but there are a few Lambda Chi’s that were in both. If you would like to do a follow up story on this I would love to help.
In ZAX,
Robert Groves
Zeta Phi 881
Tom Earp Says:
February 2nd, 2007 at 2:30 pmBrother Raymond, you never cease to amaze me with differing History articles that you produce.
While I play no musical instrument nor can carry a tune in a bucket, this is as usual an eye opener for what Lambda Chi Alpha has done over our time line of less than 100 years.
Once again, thank you.
Michael Brzozowski Says:
February 2nd, 2007 at 4:37 pmA very interesting article. While I was at EDinboro { Beta Delta } Agood number of our brothers played and marched in the Band. Brother David Youndt was the Band President.
ZAX MIKE BRZOZOWSKI
W. Ernest Halley Says:
February 2nd, 2007 at 11:38 pmI was initiated into Lambda Chi Alpha at Tulsa University in 1958. I was a member of KKPsi at Oklahoma State University, initiated in 1960. I also attended Oklahoma University and Tulsa University and played in those college bands too. In the summer of 1961, I was the lead snare drummer in the National Intercollegiate Band at the University of Wichita. Today I am a Pipe Sergeant for the Emerald Society Pipes and Drums of the Chicago Police Department. I am a founding member of that band (1982) and served 2 years as the Drum Major. We play at funerals for fallen police officers and firemen killed in the line of duty.
Glen Alan Graham Says:
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:00 amBrothers:
When I first read the headline, I wondered, “I know our connection with Theta Kappa Nu, but WHAT IS THIS Kappa Kappa Psi?” Still, the letters rang a bell in my deep memory well.
The first three or four paragraphs awakened stronger memories (not so deep in the well), of our serenades and in-house songfests. Seems that every time we Epsilon-Gamma Zeta brothers (Idaho) had a kegger or a dance in the chapter house, at SOME point we’d break out into group singing (believe me, our collective voices weren’t so talented as to call us “choral singing”). I do not recognize the two songs mentioned, but certainly remember clearly “We’re All Good Fellows” (score pictured at the top), “Drink to All the Happy Hours” and the irreverent “To H— with You!”
Speaking of “at the top”, what a delight to see the reference to my dearest LCA saint, Bro. Jack Mason. Was there NOTHING Bro. Jack COULDN’T do??? They say that Thomas Jefferson was the last true “Renaissance Man”, but now I’m willing to argue that Bro. Jack Mason deserves such a title!
As for KKPsi, I do not remember that Idaho had a chapter of the music honorary in the early ’70s. But if so, my “Big Brother” Bob Brannan would have been in it. His being a music major and very talented were a reason I chose Bob to be my “Big Brother” in E-G Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha. And when upon graduating with a B.S.Educ. from Idaho I studied at the seminary at Texas Christian University, I got well-acquainted with KKPsi on THAT campus. Several of the undergraduates in TCU organizations with which I associated were in music and in Kappa Kappa Psi. The Horned Frogs apparently had a strong chapter! (And I don’t want any jokes about frogs and singing, either, brothers!)
Speaking of TCU, in an aside, y’all might be interested to know that a recent TCU alumnus and member of its Zeta is MY district’s member on the San Antonio City Council! He is Brother Christopher “Chip” Haass.
In ZAX,
Glen Alan Graham
EG 540, U of Idaho ‘76
Jono Hren Says:
February 3rd, 2007 at 7:32 pmGlad to see so many responses to this article. I was tipped off to the connection a couple years ago by an ebayer who was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and was bidding on a Lambda Chi Alpha badge.
I don’t know how Mike found out (he won’t tell me :-). Great story!
ZAX,
Jono
BNXLI (aka Beta-Nu 41 when it’s not Super Bowl XLI)
Steve R. Parsons Says:
February 4th, 2007 at 8:58 pmRegarding Brother Charles H. Stone from Chicago who is mentioned in this article: am I correct in that this is the same Charles H. Stone who was also one of the key founding fathers of the Chi Zeta chapter at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign? Brother Stone was Chi Zeta # 6,initiated on April 10, 1915. He graduated from the U of I in 1916. Is this the same Brother Stone mentioned in the article?
in ZAX,
Steve R. Parsons
High Pi, Chi Zeta chapter
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Glen Alan Graham Says:
February 5th, 2007 at 2:31 pmWell, well, well! I’ve always known that I loved singing and music. But since I read the article and posted my earlier reply I simply CANNOT get out of my head those songs we sang on serenades or at chapter house keggers at Epsilon-Gamma Zeta (Idaho)!
Sunday afternoon I was riding on the bus across San Antonio (we have a terrific city bus operation here), when yet another LCA song came into my head, a fourth title I hadn’t listed on the earlier reply! I actually sang it softly aloud while sitting on the bus! And “All Hail, All Hail to Lambda Chi” is STILL playing in my head.
Because “All Hail” contains references to several of our emblems and slogans, I’d like to post the lyrics here. Brothers! whether you’re an Associate, an Active or an Alumnus, I invite you to sing along with me as you read these terrific lyrics:
All hail, all hail to Lambda Chi,
our fair Fraternity!
We’ll laud her praises to the sky
wherever we may be.
In east and west and north and south
is found our faithful band!
To colors purple, green and gold
we’ll pledge both heart and hand.
O, Crescent set with stones of white,
shine out and light our way!
O, Cross and crown of power and might,
lead us aright for aye.
With swords of strength we’ll fight for right,
’til mid the battle’s din
the truth of our fair Lambda Chi
o’er every foe shall win! (hm-m-m)
Yours in ZAX,
Glen Alan Graham
EG 540, U of Idaho ‘76
Diana Cox Says:
February 7th, 2007 at 12:11 pmHello!
I am a senior at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. I am also an active brother of the Alpha Beta chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, and the Vice President of Programs for the North Central District of the Fraternity.
I found this article fascinating! I did not know that Lambda Chi had a musical tradition. However, in our Membership Education Manuals, we have several pages on the founding fathers and the activities they were involved in on campus at Oklahoma A&M. We learn during our rush process which other Greek organizations our founders were a part of, and so we are taught that 5 of them were in Lambda Chi.
It is also interesting that you refer to one of our founders as Andrew F. Martin…we are always taught A. Frank Martin. Very few brothers ever actually learn his first name!
I am sure that you already have a plethora of information on all 5 of these amazing men, but if anyone ever wants to compare notes, I know that from our point of view, learning as much about them as possible would be wonderful for our organization!
Thank you so much to Mr. Raymond for writing such a wonderful article! I will be passing it on to the brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi!
Diana Cox
Brother of Kappa Kappa Psi-Alpha Beta
Butler University
2006-2007 NCD VPP
Mike Raymond Says:
April 1st, 2007 at 9:43 amBrother Parsons,
To the best of my knowledge this Charles H. Stone was indeed a Founding Father of Chi Zeta! Sorry I left that fact out of the article.
Yours in ZAX,
Mike Raymond, ZU-384